It is my extraordinary privilege to rise today on behalf of the official opposition to pay tribute to the Honourable Bill Davis, who served with unparalleled distinction through four consecutive governments, from 1971 to 1985, as Ontario’s 18th Premier, who served as Minister of Education and the first Minister of University Affairs for almost a decade before that, and who dedicated himself for 26 years to the people of Peel and Brampton as an effective, likeable and hugely popular Progressive Conservative MPP.

Bill Davis is rightly remembered as Ontario’s education Premier, someone who believed deeply that, “If we get education right, everything else will be better.” But he will also forever be known as the politician who redefined what it means to be “bland.”

Davis was a transformative visionary who presided over one of the most remarkable periods of province-building in Ontario’s history. His legacy is all around us: in the world-class college system he created; in the ambitious expansion of public education and establishment of OISE and TVO; in the cancellation of the Spadina Expressway and the building out of GO Transit; in the founding of community legal clinics; in the creation of Ontario’s first Ministry of the Environment; in the introduction of rent review; and in brokering a historic compromise that led to the patriation of Canada’s Constitution and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

Davis was also a consummate political pragmatist with an innate understanding that the art of the possible means bringing people along. His approach was the opposite of divide and conquer, the antithesis of polarization and unilateralism. He was an innovative change-maker who recognized the importance of listening to opposing views and taking time to make decisions, quietly mobilizing support for good ideas and just as quietly letting bad ones fade away in both minority and majority governments.

While he enjoyed the cut and thrust of parliamentary debate, Davis viewed his political opponents not so much as adversaries but as philosophically misguided good people who were no less deserving of respect. In the accolades that poured out following his passing in August 2021 at the age of 92, Davis was universally lauded for his graciousness, kindness and fundamental human decency. Many also spoke of his modesty and humility, which explains his long resistance to having his biography written, until Steve Paikin wore him down in 2014.

Former NDP leader Stephen Lewis, who sat across the aisle from Davis during most of the 1970s, told me in an email, “You will know that my relationship with Davis was close, even affectionate. I was very fond of him, and as much as we fought some bitter ideological battles, there was never any malice, mostly a mutual respect.”

When Davis announced he would not run again in 1985, Lewis wrote to him, “You made of politics an art that was at once was humane, generous, respectful and urgent. We often disagreed (my political colleagues have told me not often enough), but there always remained a quality of shared regard and friendship. I think of you today ... with such deep affection and admiration for what you’ve done, and who you are, and what lies ahead. We are all in your debt, Mr. Premier.”

Following Davis’s passing, Lewis said, “It’s hard to imagine a more decent adversary. When compared to the political dynamic today, the Bill Davis era was astonishingly civilized. As much as we did verbal battle across the floor of the Legislature, we maintained a friendly and harmonious relationship in the aftermath.... That was Premier Davis: a political leader of kind and generous disposition. Sure, we disagreed ideologically in ways that could never be bridged. But an atmosphere of intellectual and political generosity prevailed because that was his every instinct.”

After the NDP formed government in 1990, then-Premier Bob Rae recalled, “Bill Davis made a point of reaching out in the earliest days, and he was a constant adviser and mentor to me in what would prove to be a challenging time.... He made it clear that he wished nothing but success for me and for the province: ‘If you do well, we all shall do well.’”

For Davis, it was never about Bill Davis. It was about Ontario, about government in the service of the public good, which is why so many politicians and Premiers of all political stripes sought out his counsel and valued his advice.

It was also about community. Davis insisted on returning home to Brampton every night to the people who had elected and re-elected him seven times and always kept him grounded. But most of all, it was about family, many of whom have joined us today, along with friends and colleagues.

After the tragic loss of his first wife to cancer, Davis found a soulmate in his second marriage of 57 years to Kathleen. He was a loving and devoted father of five and a doting grandfather fondly known as “Dutch” to his 12 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Together, they took great delight in the boisterousness of family life, cheering on their favourite sports teams and spending time at their Georgian Bay cottage.

Bill Davis was the embodiment of politics as a noble calling. He exemplified the best of political life. We are profoundly grateful to his family for the sacrifices they made to share him with us, with the people of Brampton, and with all Ontarians. Our province and our country stand in your debt.

Speaker, if you seek it, you will find unanimous consent to allow members to make statements in remembrance of the Honourable William Grenville Davis, with five minutes allotted to His Majesty’s loyal opposition, five minutes allotted to the independent members as a group and five minutes allotted to His Majesty’s government.

Thank you. We give thanks for the life and public service of Julian Alexander Arnott Reed.

Today we are honoured to remember and pay tribute to a former member of our provincial Legislature, the late Mr. William (Bill) Grenville Davis, who was the MPP for Peel during the 26th and 27th Parliaments; Peel North in the 28th and 29th Parliaments; Brampton for the 30th, 31st and 32nd Parliaments; and who was Premier during the 28th, 29th, 30th, 31st and 32nd Parliaments.

Joining us in the Speaker’s gallery are Mr. Davis’s family and friends: his wife, Kathleen Davis; his children and their partners, Nancy Bennett, Neil Davis, Ian Davis, Meg Davis, Ruth Davis, Rose Davis, Michael Bennett and Paul Giroux; his grandchildren, William Davis, Kerr Davis, Michael Bennett, Molly Giroux, Robert Davis and Samantha Pejic; his friends and former colleagues, John Tory, Steve Paikin, Sally Barnes, Fred Ross, Hugh Segal, Donna Segal, Sheila Donohue, Mitch Frazer, Steve Pengelly, Brian Flood, Pat Flood, Phil Gillies and Gordon Walker. Welcome.

I recognize the member for London West.

Speaker, it’s an extraordinary honour today to rise to pay tribute to the legendary late Premier William “Bill” Grenville Davis. I’m pleased to welcome his family, his friends, his colleagues, and his many admirers to the Legislature today.

Premier Davis was and is an icon in this country. His legacy continues to directly affect each and every person in this province every day. A respected, respectful, accomplished and kind politician, Premier Davis’s conduct provides an enduring example for each and every MPP who serves in this House. His ability to bring Ontario together is exemplified not only by the praise he receives from politicians across the political spectrum, but also by his ability to successfully manage two minority governments. In a world where partisan actors continually seek to divide us, our politics and province would be well served to follow Premier Davis’s ability to compromise, to engage in cross-partisan co-operation, and to respect and work with his adversaries.

It will come as no surprise, Speaker, that as leader of the Ontario Greens, I’m most impressed by Premier Davis’s ability to see through the short-term stress of the daily news cycle to make long-term decisions that have had an enduring positive benefit for generations to come: cancelling the Spadina Expressway to maintain the vibrancy and vitality and quality of life in downtown Toronto; his role in the creation of the acid rain treaties to protect the Great Lakes; the Niagara Escarpment act, protecting our beloved escarpment and laying the foundation for Ontario’s greenbelt; and, of course, his creation of the Ministry of the Environment.

The list of Premier Davis’s many accomplishments are far too long for me to list today. But I hope, Speaker, that members from all sides of this House can agree that when it comes to the big issues of our time—the stability of our democracy, the quality of our education system, and the protection of the land, water and air that sustain life in this province—Premier Davis was a leader that was ahead of his time. Everyone who calls this province home are the beneficiaries of his life and his legacy.

So I want to say to his friends and his family, and especially his wife Kathleen: Thank you. Thank you for sharing Bill with us.

And to Premier Davis: May we all aspire to your legacy. Ontario is forever grateful to your vision, your leadership and your service. May you rest in peace.

I rise today to pay tribute to the remarkable life and legacy of William Grenville Davis, the 18th Premier of Ontario. It’s an honour to pay tribute to him in this House where he faithfully served the people of Brampton for over 26 years, including his time as the Ontario Premier from 1971 to 1985. I had the honour of speaking at Mr. Davis’s funeral last year and I’m forever grateful to the Davis family for allowing me that opportunity. I thank you.

I noted then that it was Mr. Davis’s steady hand that led Ontario for 14 years, winning four consecutive elections. And there were many good reasons that Ontarians continued to put their trust in Bill Davis. Most notably, he was someone who knew how to get big things done. He was the education Premier, establishing new universities and leading the efforts to create Ontario’s college system. He was the architect of our education system that is still the envy of the world today. It was because of Premier Davis that Ontario had North America’s first Ministry of the Environment. He also had a major impact on the national stage, playing a central role in the patriation of the Constitution.

His accomplishments are too many to list. There’s no question that Bill Davis was an incredible Premier, maybe the most impactful this province has ever had. But he was far too humble to talk about himself. He always wanted to know more about others. With all his success, the traits you heard most about him were his kindness, his humility and his unfailing decency. He earned respect across party lines and was always willing to find common ground. Even in retirement, he was always generous with his time and his counsel. If he could help you, he would.

As I said last year, he was a giant in Ontario politics, but he never behaved that way. He thought of himself simply as Bill from Brampton, and he was most happy up in Georgian Bay with Kathleen and the growing family that he was so proud of. He certainly left big shoes to fill, and all Premiers since his time have been measured against his legacy. While there will never be another William Grenville Davis, as public servants I believe we should all aspire to conduct ourselves in a way that would make him proud.

On behalf of the people of Ontario, I want to thank the Davis family for sharing Bill with us for so many years. His many accomplishments are also thanks to you. This province will always be grateful for that. I thank you, and God bless.